Emerald City Comic Con founder Jim Demonakos announced he’s leaving ReedPOP, destination unknown, on a FB post. Demonakos has served as Global Director of Comic Talent for ReedPOP since they acquired the show a few years ago. (ReedPOP in the event company behind NYCC, C2E2, ECCC, and many other fan evens worldwide.)

In his statement, Demonakos said he doesn’t have a new job lined up, but won’t be leaving the comics industry. His spouse, Andrea, is currently he show runner for VanCAF in Vancouver, and the couple will be moving back to Seattle later this year.

Demonakos is certainly a much loved figure in the business, and his hands-on approach that made ECCC one of the top five North American shows is an increasing anomaly in a world where most comics-ish events are run by larger commercial entities, including ReedPOP, Informa, Wizard World, Walker Stalker and so on.

At any rate, we wish him all the best. Jim is one of the best people in this business, and he’s sure to pop up someplace cool in the near future.

Big life news! This Friday will mark my last day as an employee at ReedPOP, and my active involvement in their family of conventions, including Emerald City Comicon.

ECCC was started when I was only 24 years old, and I will be turning 40 this year. I’ve dedicated the majority of my adult life to this show, and I feel that the time is right for me to move on.

This was not an easy decision to make by any means, but I believe it’s the right one for me.

So, what’s next, you may ask? Good question, but I don’t actually know!

I’m not leaving for another job, I don’t have an immediate new project. Instead, I have some ideas I’m interested in pursuing, in addition to freelance consulting with ReedPOP in the future. This is not the end of my involvement in the comic industry by any means, just a chance to change things up.

For now, I’m taking some real time off with no responsibilities (for the first time in forever), and Andrea and I will be moving back to Seattle from Connecticut in a ridiculous month-long cross-country road trip this summer.

I want to say a very sincere Thank You to everyone for all the support over the years, it has meant the world to me. I look forward to seeing what comes next and hope you do too.

Heidi MacDonald is the founder and editor in chief of The Beat. In the past, she worked for Disney, DC Comics, Fox and Publishers Weekly. She can be heard regularly on the More To Come Podcast. She likes coffee, cats and noble struggle.